


Let the lights guide you home

by CrystalNavy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-05 09:10:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15860613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/CrystalNavy
Summary: Luffy has had enough of waiting. He'll find a way to get what he wants, consequences be damned.





	1. Hired?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy hires a pair of thugs to kidnap his own brother.

"Ace is being mean!" Luffy announced with conviction "It's been six months, and I am tired of hearing excuse after excuse!"

"Look, Luffy...." Ace began, in an attempt to placate his little brother

But Luffy was having none of it.

"If Ace doesn't want to help me," Luffy announced "Then I will find someone who will. Grey Terminal has plenty of people that would do it for me with right amount of money."

Then he dashed out of the house before Ace could stop him. Ace stared at his retreating figure in abject horror. He knew in his heart that Luffy was telling the truth, which was why he stood there, still as a statue, unable to bring himself to try and stop his little brother.

-x-

Luffy rushed around the Grey Terminal, like a headless chicken, trying to find people to hire. In his hands was a small bag, a portion of Sabo and Ace's treasure he could use to pay them off.

Suddenly, he ran into two tall men, both of whom seemed familiar somehow, even if he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Nevertheless, they looked strong. They were perfect for the kind of job he had in mind.

"I want to hire you to do something for me." Luffy stated bluntly "I have some treasure for you if you succeed."

He lifted up a bag to show them.

Two men looked at each other.

"We can't take that." one of them said softly "It belongs to your brothers, does it not?"

"Yes, it does." Luffy suddenly looked dejected "But it means nothing if we're not all there to share it."

"What we're trying to say is that we're doing it for free."

Luffy scratched his head.

"But people don't do it unless they have some compensation in the form of money." Luffy frowned "Bluejam said so."

"Well, we're not like Bluejam." both men smiled at him "In fact, we are....."

Luffy's eyes widened at their admission. Who would have thought?

"Are you willing to accept our services?"

"Yes." Luffy's eyes shone with determination

"Good. It shall be done in a fortnight. Leave everything to us."

"Don't do anything that might reveal that I hired you." Luffy added as an afterthought "Bad things would happen if you do."

One of the men reached down and ruffled his hair in a silent assurance.

-x-

Sabo plopped down on the bed once more.

He had just been informed that he had to join in on the family outing.

To be among all those rotten souls. Among the people who had Grey Terminal burned without a care in the world.

To come out into the suffocating air of High Town.

Still, he knew he had to. 

For the alternative was worse.

He was in a cage, and his family were the jailers.

And so, he joined them on their outing. He walked slightly behind them, as he always did.

That's how he was able to notice two suspicious characters following him, frowns on their faces.

"It'll be easy, Joe." one said "We just have to snatch him up when no one is looking."

"Yeah." Joe agreed "Our client would be so happy should we succeed."

Sabo frowned. He had a feeling that those two were talking about him. He also had a distinct feeling that he saw them somewhere before, though he couldn't remember where......

"Sabo." his father called, interrupting his train of thought "Hurry up! We're here."

And the two men were forgotten.

-x-

"Sabo." his father informed "These two are your new servants/guards."

Sabo found himself staring at two men from this afternoon. They winked at him.

"Be good now." his father said, before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

"Why are you here?" Sabo inquired, his eyes narrowing

Two men shared amused looks.

"We're here to kidnap you, occhan." Joe said "Your family misses you."

"Our client said to give this to you when we're alone." his companion said "He told us it was something you'd remember him by."

Sabo felt something being pushed into his hands. He looked down, and saw that he was holding a worn-out straw-hat, adorned with a red ribbon.

And the truth hit him like a ton of bricks. Luffy called this hat his treasure. He would never part with it, unless he was giving it to someone he considered an even bigger treasure.

Which meant that Luffy was the client the two men in front of him were talking about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The truth about who the two men are will be revealed in due time..... *evil laugh*


	2. When the caged bird sings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An older sibling and an younger sibling. The younger one has everything he wants in the palm of his hand. The older one is abused.
> 
> But things are changing, and the caged bird can sing.

Sabo watched as the preparations were made. Preparations for a lavish birthday party. Half the city was invited, and his parents prepared the best of everything.

The party was to take place at the biggest, most lavish restaurant in the city. 

Except that the party wasn't for him, nor was he invited, on the account of his parents believing he was an embarrassment.

Of course, they celebrated his birthday too, but they did it inside the house rather than in public, and they didn't invite many people. 

Sabo was given explicit instructions not to wander off while they were gone, and was forbidden from associating with 'those two degenerates', as his father put it.

"Look at the bright side." Joe entered, carrying a cup of warm milk, followed by his partner "We have the house all to ourselves, which means we could plan out the kidnapping in peace. Do you have the city plans?"

His partner nodded, and handed him a thick map. Joe unfurled it and scanned it.

"Good." he nodded "The fastest route is in the southern sector. It will be easy."

"I've memorized the places guards usually patrol." Sabo supplied "What worries me is that he'll try to do something to them."

"I don't think you have to worry about that." Joe laughed heartily "We have a plan for that too."

-x-

The tell-tale chime announced that his parents and adopted sibling were back. A butler opened the door for them, bowing to them.

And like usual, they paid no attention to him. 

They found Sabo asleep, his head resting upon the book he was reading. His father frowned, noticing the lack of the supervision.

"Where are the two men I hired to guard you?" his father bellowed

Sabo cracked open one eye and almost let it slip that Luffy hired them first, but fortunately, he had enough common sense not to.

"I dismissed them for the evening." he said instead "They looked like they needed a break, and you wouldn't want them asleep on the job, like the last one, would you? I could take advantage of that and escape."

"Whatever." his father didn't seem happy "But don't get any ideas. No matter where you try to run to, I will find you and bring you back. And then I'll have Bluejam kill those brothers of yours."

"Not this time." Sabo thought as he stood up

-x-

Joe and his companion reached the outskirts of the city under the cover of night. There was a broken section of the wall, allowing people to enter High Town undetected, and also leave it undetected.

Sitting atop the wall, next to the hole, was Luffy. His signature hat was still missing. 

"How is it going?" Luffy tilted his head curiously

"Tenryuubito is coming within three days." Joe whispered "Everyone will be at the harbor, waiting for his arrival. We'll think of some excuse to keep Sabo away from his family when they go watch. That is when we'll make our move. We'll be here then."

"Good." Luffy beamed "I'll be waiting."

They then went their separate ways. The two men returned to the mansion, and Luffy returned to the treehouse.

"You did what?" Ace bellowed

"I hired them to bring our brother back." Luffy looked at him with wide, innocent eyes "Since Ace didn't want to, I found someone who would, just like I said."

"What if Bluejam is right?" Ace sighed "What if he is happier there than here?"

"That can't be so." Luffy shook his head "He hates that place."


	3. Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tenryuubito arrives.

"Right, we're off." Outlook III turned around to look at the two guards "Make sure he doesn't leave the house."

"You can count on us, Sir." Joe replied promptly 

With that, the family left for the ceremony, and those who remained behind ventured into the house.

"Pack your things." Joe advised "Come meet us in the foyer once you're done."

Sabo nodded, and went upstairs to prepare. Joe and his companion went about making their own preparations as well.

When they were all done, they began their plan. 

Joe and his partner ventured out first. The area was devoid of guards, due to all them being needed to guards those who attended the ceremony. They gave a signal, and Sabo stepped out of the house too, a bag hoist over his shoulder. He wore a cloak which covered his face. All three of them moved towards the spot where the hole in the wall was. When they got there, they looked around to see that there weren't any more obstacles. There were none, and so they darted through the hole, and into the area of Grey Terminal. 

"We'll be leaving you here." Joe told Sabo "We still haven't completed the job we were given. Can you find your way back now?"

Sabo nodded, and they parted ways. Joe and his companion turned towards the Grey Terminal, while Sabo began his trek towards Mt. Corvo. The bag was still slung over his shoulder. He rummaged through it, before pulling out Luffy's straw-hat and putting it atop his own head for safekeeping. He couldn't wait to see Luffy and Ace again.

-x-

Luffy got up bright and early, and began to make himself look presentable.

Today was the day when he and his two brothers would be reunited at long last. He wanted to make their reunion an event to remember.

As such, the first thing Ace saw when he woke up was his little brother dressed in a pristine white shirt and black pants.

"What's occasion, little brother?" Ace teased

"Today is a special day." Luffy announced "Today, red and yellow are having a reunion with blue."

"Indeed." Ace ruffled his hair affectionately "I think I should dress for the occasion too."

"Yes, you should." Luffy agreed "It will be a day to remember."


	4. Into the fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the end, we'll all burn for our sins.

"That nightmare again?" Ace asked, brows furrowed "It's a fifth time since our reunion."

"It's strange." Sabo agreed "I can't help but think it's a warning, about something, or someone."

"Well, whatever comes, we'll face it together." Ace tried to sound reassuring "Now come on, animals won't wait forever!"

And with that, all three of them ran towards the forest, ready to enter yet another fierce competition.

None of them knew what really lay ahead.

In an abandoned house in Edge town, a meeting was taking place between Bluejam pirates and their benefactor.

"Kill them." he said "Make him watch. Make him realize that he has nothing left in this world but us. Then he'll crawl back, begging to be forgiven, and things will go back to the way they should be."

"It shall be done." Bluejam replied dispassionately, taking a gulp from a bottle of vodka

-x-

When they returned, they saw it immediately.

That Dadan's hut.......their home, had been set on fire.

Dadan and her men were trying their hardest to put it out, but it seemed impossible.

"Do you know how to kill an angel?" Bluejam's hand landed on Luffy's shoulder, while his other hand clamped Luffy's mouth shut "First, you destroy the only sanctuary the angel has. Then the angel dies. And then the devil goes too, for the devil and the angel are two sides of the same coin. And finally, the human they were both protecting is rendered powerless in the mortal plane."

"What do you want, Bluejam?" Ace demanded

"You have been a naughty boy." Bluejam ignored him, instead focusing his attention on Sabo "Very naughty boy indeed. Your home is burning because of you. And you brought nothing but death to your friends. You have been very naughty indeed. You need to be punished."

He gave the signal to his men, and they moved in and grabbed Ace as well.

"I envied you, you know." Bluejam continued "You have everything. Money. Power. A shame you left it all behind to play house with those two. Your punishment would be watching them burn too."

Bluejam's men poured kerosene all over Ace and Luffy.

"Fire." Bluejam flicked the lighter, creating a small spark "It creates, and also destroys. I always had fascination with fire. The Great Fire of Grey Terminal should have taken their lives, but it didn't. Time to rectify that mistake. Your home, your family, will all burn to ashes."

And Sabo didn't dare move. His whole body was shivering.

Bluejam was suddenly sent careening into a tree from the force of the kick. Joe and his partner stood there, in battle stances.

"Good thing we came up here when we did, eh?" Joe tapped his foot against the ground

His partner moved over to Sabo, touching his forehead.

"He is burning up. He has a fever. We need to get him someplace safe, so we could treat him."


End file.
